Great London Circus Seat Stringer

| September 19, 2012

Once the stringers were laid out, the seats could be pulled down and locked in place. There was a total of six sections of seats on the wagon, stacked three high in each section.

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Great London Circus Seats Up

| September 19, 2012

The seats were a bench type with scissor legs that would easily fold together to clasp the seats for loading. On set up and between shows I would send a crew to check the set to make sure they were still locked down. There were times the scissors would be out of place. The only […]

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Great London Circus

| September 19, 2012

George Matthews Great London Circus was owned by Sid Kellner. This was one of the best looking shows out on the road in 1975. The big top peaked out at 48 feet with 50 foot centers and 120 foot round ends. Dad and I had worked with Sid Kellner when he put out James Bros […]

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Great London Circus Sideshow

| September 19, 2012

Ed Russell had the sideshow on Great London. This shot was taken on set up day. The tractor in the midway served as a water wagon and it also pulled a seat wagon. It held a 300 hundred gallon tank that sat in front of the 5th wheel. In this photo there is just a […]

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Great London Circus Makimba

| September 19, 2012

  I was fortunate to have two great chimps!  Bongie was my hand balancing and comedy chimp.  I lost in him in Las Vegas in the late 19so’s which almost put an end to the act.  Makimba, who you see in this photo, learned Bongie’s exact routine within a year.  Makimba carried the act as […]

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Great London Circus Harry Ross

| September 19, 2012

Harry “Mophead” Ross produced the clown gags on Great London. This gag is the canon and chicken gag. Rossie was famous the his one liner “You believe that don’t you”? It got to the point that no matter what show he was on everyone would start to use his phase. It is funny how things […]

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Great London Circus Makimba

| September 19, 2012

Makimba even learned the comedy piano routine.  This was once Tobie’s routine,  my other chimp while on the Polack circus.

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Great London Circus Elephants

| September 19, 2012

Alfonso Magona worked the bull for Sid Kellner and the lion act as well. Cindy his girlfriend is doing the mount. The elephants and lion were owned by Sid, along with some other animals. Alfonso got out of the business some time ago. I did speak with him and found out that he became a […]

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Great London Circus Jack Fullbright

| September 19, 2012

Jack Fullbright was a natural on a horse. I have not seen nor heard of him in years. Sandra Pettus Fullbright, his wife worked in ring two, then she would come to center ring for their final trick. A very good looking act and added much to the show. Cappi thanks for your comment, I […]

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Great London Circus Los Latinos

| September 19, 2012

Herbie and Marcela, Los Latinos. Herbie also did the slide for life on the show. Did I ever write about Herbie and how he could steal the applause from the other acts in a 3 or 4 ring display that he was performing with?  It was easy… he would do his trick fall from the […]

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